What kind of student are you — the one that enjoys a little bit of background TV noise or the one who studies in complete silence? Turns out that a good number of students prefer putting on a TV show during study hours. If we’re being very honest, watching TV while studying makes the boring less boring. There are many other proven benefits of studying with the TV on, but it has to be the right kind of TV program.
In the following post, we’ll explore together why someone might prefer to watch a TV show while studying, and how that can increase their productivity. We also highlight some of the best programs you can put on as background noise to get the desired results.
The positive effects of watching TV while studying
Improves focus
If you find your mind wandering every time you study in silence, putting the TV on in the background can be an ideal remedy. The sounds provide a kind of background white noise that allows your brain to zone into the task you’re doing, improving your focus.
Improves cognitive performance
Background noise, such as from a TV, can improve performance of college students on tests that measure intelligence and cognitive function, such as those requiring mental arithmetic. It also improves recognition memory and abstract processing of concepts.
Helps you study longer
Watching TV while studying improves performance by helping you to keep going longer. Let’s face it, studying can be boring and tedious. However, playing a TV show in the background, especially when studying a subject you find less inspiring, builds endurance, and can make the process more interesting. So you won’t throw in the towel and stop the task quickly as you might have without the help of background noise.
Motivates study
One of the biggest challenges with writing homework or studying for exams is sticking to the process once you start. Adding some background TV noise can motivate you to continue studying and actually enjoy the session. Listening to background TV voices can also energize a student, especially when dealing with a monotonous school project over long periods.
Helps you to relax
Studying while watching TV boosts relaxation and can improve a person’s mood. The calmer you are, the better you feel and the more you’ll be able to achieve in your study session. Stress is a common problem for college students because they have to juggle multiple obligations such as class work, jobs, and extracurriculars. Anything that helps to relieve stress promotes better study habits.
Do you prefer studying while watching TV? Check out the best type of TV programs to use as background noise
Like any other type of background noise, not every TV program will benefit your studying. Turning on the TV and watching your favorite shows is unlikely to boost your study efficiency. Let’s check out some TV programs that provide minimal distractions, helping you to study better.
News channel
Turning on a news channel is one of the best options for students who find TV background noise good for studying. However, if you’re the type of person that likes to be up to date on what’s going on in the world, it’s best to take some time early in the morning during breakfast to catch up on important events. The subsequent news broadcasts often rehash what was covered in the morning. Thus, it will be easy to focus on studying instead of the updates.
Cooking channel
If you like to study or work on your homework papers in cafes, having the food network in the background while at home can create a similar feeling. However, if watching cooking shows doesn’t unlock your writer’s block or makes you hungry and unable to concentrate, don’t crumble or procrastinate. Instead, get essay writer help from a real expert in your field at CustomWritings, for example, which employs certified professional writers in 80+ disciplines who can write for you 100% original essays based on your instructions.
Replay your favorite shows
Studying while watching TV shows you like in the background only works when you’ve watched it multiple times before. Since you already know the plot, you won’t need to keep turning your head to the TV to see what happens next. You get a sense of comfort from hearing voices of your favorite characters. On the other hand, putting on a show you’re eager to watch is a sure distraction that will kill your focus. Save that for your free time!
The weather channel
Just like the news channel, this option works well when you have a hint of what the weather is going to be by watching the morning news. That way, you won’t feel the need to pay special attention to the broadcast. Hearing background noises of the meteorological fact and forecasts can help you focus on writing essays and other homework papers. It’s easy to concentrate when the background information is about something you don’t need to pay attention to or care about.
Infomercial channel
Few people enjoy watching topshop-type of commercials. Most times, you get annoyed when they interrupt the show you were watching. Sometimes, we blackout when commercials start. That’s why you may consider putting on the boring infomercials channels that run commercials throughout. You can boost study efficiency by using the voices from infomercials as your background noise. Your focus will automatically shift from listening to the program to your studying.
Sometimes silence is the best option
Many students appreciate the effect of background noise from TV when studying. This is proven by the mixture of benefits we’ve mentioned. Still, it’s important to remember that sometimes, the wrong choice of TV program or high noise levels can be a distraction when studying. For example, if you are at a place where they have put on your favorite channel or a program that you deeply dislike, then you might prefer studying in silence. It will distract you! In addition, silence is golden when working on a verbal task that requires a lot of concentration.
Thus, if you feel that studying while watching TV affects you negatively in some way, turn it off or find a way to block it. It’s a perfectly acceptable course of action since the choice is all yours. Research shows that people respond to different sound manipulations in varying ways. However, it’s generally agreed that silence is better than too much noise in terms of boosting productivity.
Be intentional with how you use background TV while studying
If watching TV while studying gives you peace of mind and improves your productivity, try any of the programs suggested in this article during your next study session. The trick is to turn the TV sound low to create a chattering vibe as if you’re in a café. Let’s be productive together!
